PAST EXHIBITIONS
2023
REGENERATION | January
Group Show
PAMANA | February
Group Show
To amplify Linangan’s mission of empowering artists and communities through art education, we organized the “Pamana” exhibit highlighting the foundational role of mentorship in fostering the development of Philippine contemporary art. The exhibits bring together Linangan residents, alumni, and stalwarts of the Philippine art scene, most of whom have mentored in Linangan to raise funds for the development of the Linangan mentorship program.
Arisgado | March
Arel Zambarrano
For the silent desperate many--who struggle to make both ends meet--one barely lives to fight another day. Arisgado, the sixth solo exhibition by Arel Zambarrano, essays the painstaking realities that he and his laborers face day-to-day challenges. Based in Iloilo, this artist-architect continues his narrative from his previous shows, armed with undulated persistence, this time Zambarrano unravels deeper discontents as he collectively identifies with the suffering predicament of many—the dog-tired working class including the downtrodden and abused multitude--to still plod the neck deep flood for them to keep their head above water.
Paisahe | March
Demosthenes Campos
Demosthenes Campos continues to explore his multi-layered, highly-textured abstract idiom in his solo exhibition, Paisahe. The exhibition’s title is derived from the Spanish word for landscape, and Campos explores how landscapes—an enduring painting genre—may be translated into abstraction, and how the inner world of an individual may assume the contours of a landscape in this series of works.
Tunay Na Pangalan Ng Hindi Kilalang Anino | March
Doktor Karayom
Trinidad continued his street art while holding exhibitions for his red paintings and sculptures. He found success in art competitions, first winning a t-shirt design contest for a local fashion brand, the Thirteen Artist Award in 2018, and was nominated to participate in the Ateneo Art Award in various years.
Across Structural Realities | April
Group Show
With structural realism as a pretext, we may view scientific theories that tell us only about forms and
structures of the unobservable world, neglecting its nature. This selection of artists with their works work
across worlds both seen and felt, collecting experiences and presenting them as tangible visions. They invite us to contemplate on the complexities of our existence, allowing us to reflect on our relationships with the natural and fabricated realities we find ourselves in.
Plastic and Colors of Youth | April
Fernando Sena
Fernando Sena, considered as one of the masters of the still life genre, revisits his toy series in his solo showcase, Plastic and Colors of Youth, for Art Cube. Showing no loss of figurative skill and vitality, Sena once again depicts the joyous tumble of toys and their parts, all commingling together in their varied shapes and hues, so much so that no single piece asserts dominance. The viewer, regardless of where they look at the canvas, is treated to an eye-catching pop of color and shine, with the toys’ harmonious configurations being at once accidental (their arrangement in a box) and intentional (as the artist has devoted his attention and chosen to paint them).
Balaan | April
Roland Llarena
Balaan (holy in Hiligaynon), a solo exhibition of Roland Llarena, seeks to be this gentle reminder as he essays in paper and perforated steel metal sheets the beauty of impermanence by instilling sacredness in people as God is supreme in his holiness.
Done in new mixed media Llarena explores creatively his artistic pursuits--as he unravels the virtues leading up to how to be a good man--in these difficult times.
Finding Purpose | April
Kim Gaceja
In Kim Gaceja’s Finding Purpose, he delves into the reason for getting up every single day, taking inspiration from the words of Viktor Frankl, the renowned psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor. Frankl believed that meaning is instilled by an individual in the events of one’s life. He also stated that both work and suffering can direct one toward finding meaning, ultimately leading to fulfillment and happiness. One only needs to find meaning in small things to have a wonderful and meaningful life.
Threading Through Time | May
Winna Go
In her first solo exhibition, Threading Through Time, Winna Go contemplates how the locus of identity is shaped by the variables of the past and the present—at times harmonious and conflicting—especially at this juncture of history in which the world is idealized as a global community. The artist looks back at her Chinese ancestry and its powerful pull on her imagination and private life, expressed through an astounding suite of large-scale works featuring traditional Chinese robes as well as an installation of soft sculptures and archival materials.
The Bitter Sea Is Boundless, but if You Turn Around There Is The Shore | May
Patrick de Veyra
In Patrick de Veyra's recent solo exhibition, The Bitter Sea Is Boundless, But If You Turn Around There Is The Shore, the artist showcases a stunning collection of vibrantly colored paintings, each piece featuring intricate layers and surfaces added or subtracted with well-thought out intent. With each painstakingly laid
veneer, he builds on his pigments and glazes, a number of them in volatile neons, each shade having its own visual character and curing time. The artworks exude a playful yet sophisticated aesthetic that perfectly captures the artist's creative vision and his specific brand of conveying emotion without
overreaching sentimentality or saccharine nostalgia.
Pa
Living Up To My Blue China | May
Tracie Anglo-Dizon
Tracie Anglo Dizon’s third solo exhibition “Living up to my Blue China” features paintings that embody timeless beauty cast in the form of blue china, which serves as the base for the artist’s critical reflection on the constraints of cultural conventionality. Using a more contemporary painterly touch Anglo Dizon plays with the boundaries of ornamental design to interject the tension between the modern and the classical, between the oriental and the western, with a witty aesthetic twist of feminism in overriding the dominant culture.
Unveil | May
Dave alcon
A stoic philosopher once said the worst thing one can do to himself is not become who he could be in this lifetime. For his 6th solo exhibition, Unveil, Dave Alcon literally pauses, reflects, and honors his long and arduous artistic journey an existential feast of paintings on his love for painting.
The Day After the Night Before | June
Clairelynn Uy
Technology made it accessible for anyone to explore interests and techniques that used to be far more exclusive, time-consuming, or skill-intensive to do. Meanwhile, the processes and philosophies of early adopters and pioneers continue to linger on, so much so that people still cite inspirations from those who lived centuries ago.
What would the greats of the past would say if they saw how we have trodded down the paths they blazed? In a time where the barrier to entry for almost everything have been lowered, the question of replication, adaptation, and reproduction often comes up.
A Little Bit of Everything | June
Angelo Tabije
Once in a while, after a succession of visual styles, an effective artist craves for experimentation as a form of welcome respite. In his second solo exhibition at the Art Cube, A Little Bit of Everything, Angelo Tabije spontaneously attempts to put together past raw signature fixtures, uncanny lines patterns and painting elements that had made him a much-sought-after artist of figurative bespoke expressions. For Tabije, art is the lie that tells the eminent truth. Paradoxically, it is not that art does imitates life rather life imitates art. We learn how to dream, how to exist, how to think about ourselves through these paintings. Tabije has brought back the storytelling in his inherent visuality.
When the Smoke Clears and the Dust Settles | June
Arturo Sanchez Jr.
When the Smoke Clears and the Dust Settles is a testament to how Art Sanchez expresses profundity in his exploration of identity, spirituality, and the interplay between calm and chaos. With his new pieces, most notably arrays of shadow boxes filled with spliced three-dimensional components seemingly floating in the void, the artist invites viewers into the depths of his being, all the while playing on the drama of light and dark.
Forever In Debt | July
Marvin Quizon
Marvin Quizon has been essaying death on canvas since he first won in a national art competition in 2017 and became a fulltime artist. With sheer brushstroke prowess, inducing an old photograph-feel, Quizon unapologetically explores that gruesome defining mood employed with a certain sentimentality in exploring his visuals of mortality. Forever in Debt is Quizon’s fifth solo exhibition, this time, however, he ushers hope with a feeling of gratitude to the present day happenings in his life. For Quizon, to be thankful is to imbibe all the positive energies in the universe-as part of the continuing dual cycle of life and death. Broken Flowers refers to the different kinds of being damaged between the two characters in the picture. A powerful reprisal of his main piece during his first solo show, this time both subjects are seated while still their souls are locked in a tight embrace.
Childish | July
Macj Turla
In Childish, Macj Turla's third solo exhibition, the artist delves into the complex themes of escapism, the fear of growing up, and the weight of taking responsibility. Through a collection of freshly produced wide-eyed paintings framed by wood textures or hand-wrought, black-painted epoxy clay, Turla invites us to explore the nuances of human emotions and behavior, shedding light on the struggles and conflicts that lie beneath the surface of our daily lives and familiar characters in our surroundings that dwell on denial.
Pusyaw | July
Nic Navarro
Nic Navarro’s latest exhibition, Pusyaw, extends and amplifies the visual vocabulary we have known of the artist. Navarro's previous works have often depicted a frozen world, where time stands still, giving rise to an eerie and surreal ambiance within ordinary interior spaces. However, in this current body of work, Navarro delves into the nature of time itself, contemplating its relentless passage and embracing the concept of breakdown and entropy.
.jpg)
Ghosts | August
Don Bryan Bunag
Don Bryan Bunag's works explore the concept of visualizing an internal landscape— an imagination of what his mind would look like if it were a place—as a representation of his state of mind.
For Bunag's upcoming exhibit, entitled Ghosts, he was trying to find a personal definition of a ghost. Since 2018, he has always gravitated toward using this word as the central idea of a specific show. But as someone who likes to plan, he did not rush it until he felt that his work and himself were aligned and ready to justify what he envisioned.
An Abstract Voyage | August
Edwin Martinez
An Abstract Voyage reflects on the complexities of life's journey and the significance of introspection. Contemplating past decisions and missed opportunities, Edwin Martinez acknowledges the fickleness and unreliability of the human mind. The artist emphasizes the importance of rest as an essential component of learning from failures. We are often too quick to bounce back without taking the time to reflect on our experiences, yet this is imperative if we are to survive.
The artist seemingly aims to capture the cycle of failure, respite, and redemption that is an inherent part of the human experience. Through the depiction of a cycle of continuously falling down and getting back up, Martinez’ works illustrate that failure is not always negative; it is an integral aspect of life. When faced with failure, one must compose oneself and prepare for what lies ahead.
Traces | August
Jayme Lucas
In Traces, Jayme Lucas’ second solo exhibition, the artist delves into junctures and beliefs passed through generations through imagery and themes vital to her practice. She paints empty tracts of land in their natural state. Aside from these wide-encompassing settings, however, Lucas also paints moving people, wandering anatomical parts, and figures frozen in relaxed stances as she chronicles comings and goings and keeping still as means to dissect elements of tradition, memory, and identity, creating an absorbing visual journey.
Debosyon | August
Lymuel Bautista
For his solo exhibition, Debosyon, Lymuel Bautista presents a narrative told through a unique approach to the pictorial surface, skillfully transforming the canvas into a representation of corrugated iron roofs. Through his adept use of deep reds and browns, reminiscent of rusted iron, Bautista brings attention to the precarious conditions of marginalized communities—which constitute the majority of the country’s population—as well as the struggles they face daily.
For this show, the artist departs from his usual socio-realistic subject matter, as epitomized by his work “Haunting Wail of Chaos,” the Grand Awardee in the Watermedia on Paper category of the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence in 2021—a visual fable depicting the intersection of the pandemic’s challenges with societal issues.
Beyond The Scars: Illuminating the light within | September
Daniel Dela Cruz
Adversity shapes us, but it does not have to consume us. In life’s journey, we inevitably encounter trials and pain that leave scars upon our hearts and souls. Constant reminders of our battles, these scars do not define who we are. We are more than the sum of our wounds; we are resilient beings capable of letting the light shine from within, illuminating the darkness that tries to engulf us.
Instead of allowing our scars to become prisons of sorrow, we can transform them into stories of triumph. The human spirit possesses a remarkable ability to rise above pain, find meaning in suffering, and emerge stronger than ever before. Our scars can be symbols of courage and perseverance that inspire others to face their own trials.
Flimsy Cobweb Sheets | September
Carzen Esprela & Lu Gonzales
An individual's character is highly dictated by their manner of storing and retrieving acquired thoughts, perhaps; a dilemma in terms of retaining or omitting an idea. Say, a place dependent on identity may evolve to a level of taste. Cleaning an old room involves careful analysis of which to keep or discard. Old receipts, old coins, old keys, photographs, letters, etc., are presented all at once. In the choosing, the room is prepped for receiving. Some are displayed, some kept in cabinets or drawers.
This is the case in Gonzales' and Esprela's works; carefully selecting which parts of their work they choose to keep.
Love Is The Only Way | September
Billy Bagtas
Love Is The Only Way, Billy Bagtas's remarkable fifth solo exhibition, is a veritable tribute to flexibility, transformation, and the healing power of the most compelling feeling on earth and beyond. Exploring a journey of overcoming darkness through artistic expression, Bagtas takes us on a personal yet penetrating voyage through six engrossing paintings and an intriguing installation. These works embody the emotional landscape of souls coping with loss and the artist's lived experience as his family navigated the profound pain of losing his mother in 2021.
Catchments | October
Jim Orencio
In his latest solo exhibition, Catchments, Jim Orencio invites us into a mesmerizing world where the delicate balance of nature is not just observed but celebrated. Presented by Art Cube, Orencio’s collection breathes life into the canvas, weaving an intricate tapestry of the Arboretum at the Pintô Art Museum. The term “catchments” is not merely a title but a poetic revelation. Defined as areas where rainwater is collected and stored, the term finds its roots in gardening and ecology. In the context of Orencio's exhibition, Catchments symbolizes the inherent significance of water sources in nurturing life. It is a nod to the intricate ecological processes where water serves as a lifeline for the flora and fauna, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all living things.
Leaving Marks | October
Shannah Orencio
In the delicate dance between art and nature, Shannah Orencio emerges as a trailblazer, challenging conventional perceptions of still life. Her latest exhibition, Leaving Marks, showcased at Art Cube, is a testament to her evolution in interpreting the genre, offering viewers a vibrant tableau where flowers, devoid of traditional vases, find their place in artfully arranged confinements, each bloom jostling for attention in a harmonious dance of colors and shapes.
Neighborhood | October
Rey Labarento
A simple, happy life straight out of a dream exists — as the world continues to fixate on a
time when things were better, a nostalgia that runs across all generations from boomers to
gen Z’s.
Painting a picture of such life is not as easy as it sounds, because some fall into the trap of
an over-idealized, Amorsolo-esque landscape that is both idyllic and dismissive of social
truths. Negros Oriental born and raised visual artist Rey Labarento presents a poignant
glimpse of this life – his life, his inspirations, through his Neighborhood of Valencia, Negros
Oriental and its neighboring Dumaguete City.
The Things You Bury, The Things That Grow | October
Arvi Fetalvero
Sometimes, you don’t always reap what you sow. This has been a recurring realization for the artist during the past years. Sometimes what grows out of the seeds is something one least expected —a great surprise or disappointing failure. Either way, despite the anxieties and the uncertainty of the outcome, all one can do is continue plowing, and hope for the best. The artist tries to cope with this realization and contemplate her current conditions while she does her gardening — all the seemingly unrewarded or unnoticed efforts she has made while biding her time and keeping patient for the small possibility of something more in the future. She takes the time for quiet introspection as she finds affinity with her plants’ natural instinct to survive.